Police hunt Ian Beale lookalike conman who focused lonely ladies
- John Eric Wells fleeced victims out of their life financial savings earlier than fleeing to Asia
- The conman’s antics have been became a movie starring Martin Kemp
Police have stepped up the hunt for an Ian Beale lookalike who has been on the run for practically 5 years after conning lonely ladies out of £400,000.
South Yorkshire Police first launched an enchantment for ‘Casanova Conman’ John Eric Wells in September 2019.
Despite resembling one in all British tv’s most iconic characters – performed by Adam Woodyatt on Eastenders for many years – he is managed to evade arrest for greater than 4 years.
Wells, who’s in his 60s, can be believed to go by the names Howard Walmsley and Howard Hemmings and is needed in reference to three romance frauds.
It is claimed he fleeced his victims out of their whole life financial savings by sweeping them off their ft and happening a spending spree with their cash.
Police are trying to find the ‘Casanova conman’ who robbed lonely ladies out f their life financial savings
Despite John Eric Wells resembling one in all British television’s most iconic characters – performed by Adam Woodyatt on Eastenders for many years – he is managed to evade arrest for greater than 4 years
Victim Hazel Wilkins appeared on This Morning in 2019 to inform how she met Wells on-line
Victim Hazel Wilkins appeared on This Morning in 2019 to inform how she met Wells on-line.
He beginning asking her for cash after they entered a relationship in 2014 and later took out loans in her identify earlier than fleeing, leaving her in a mountain of debt.
The conman promised Ms Wilkins he would purchase her and her two daughters properties solely to again out on the las minute leaving one in all them homeless shortly after she gave start.
Ms Wilkins then bought her personal home to get a brand new place the place her daughter and grandchild may reside together with her.
She additionally instructed the paper she has paid again £17,000 in loans he took out in her identify since he disappeared, which has reduce her pension in half.
Wells additionally ‘cancelled their wedding ceremony plans 5 instances’, instructed her he ‘owned dozens of motels all over the world’ and claimed he had most cancers, in accordance with the grandmother.
But she believes each time he went ‘abroad’ he was truly again in his hometown of Doncaster.
Ms Wilkins mentioned she has since been in contact with one other lady who instructed her Wells carried out an ‘similar rip-off’ on her.
Wells was jailed for 3 years after faking an £8.9million lottery win in 1996. He later claimed it was an try to save lots of his marriage to spouse Kathy, pictured with him in 2001 exterior court docket
Kemp starred alongside ex-EastEnders actress Michelle Collins as Wells’ spouse Kathy
Wells had beforehand been jailed for 3 years after faking an £8.9million lottery win, later claiming the rip-off was an try to save lots of his marriage.
He conned banks, a solicitor, an architect, a automobile agency and two ladies mates out of £53,000 in complete.
The plot was became the movie Can’t Buy Me Love, penned by EastEnders’ author Tony Jordan and starring Martin Kemp.
The 64-year-old was tracked right down to a bar in Vietnam by The Mirror in 2019 after it was believed he fled the nation to be along with his rich lover in Asia.
His crime was later became an ITV film referred to as Can’t Buy Me Love in 2004 starring Martin Kemp because the painter/decorator
Wells is alleged to be operating a bar purchased for him by a rich hotelier. But a former good friend of ‘the pure born liar’ says she might be his subsequent sufferer.
‘He’s nonetheless in Asia and is supported by her. She’s a wealthy woman from Vietnam. She paid about £23,000 money to purchase him that bar,’ the unnamed good friend instructed The Mirror.
The bar’s proprietor mentioned Wells left three months in the past when she took over and renovated the property. She claimed he returned to England after the bar bought in to issue.
But mates say he’s serving to his lover renovate the bar whereas entertaining revellers with karaoke, and his Facebook web page lists his location as Dubai.
Judge Jane Shipley, who jailed him at Sheffield Crown Court in 2001, instructed him he lived in a ‘fantasy world’.
She added: ‘You needed to aspire to the excessive life and seem profitable, however you appear to lack what it takes to be a profitable entrepreneur.’
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police confirmed Wells was nonetheless needed, saying: ‘Police wish to hear from anybody who has seen or spoken to Wells just lately, or has info which can assist officers with their enquiries.
‘It is feasible Wells is at present dwelling exterior the UK. If you see him, or you have got any info which can assist, please name South Yorkshire Police on 101.’
